A tight little groover from Wynton Kelly – one of a few mid 60s gems done for Verve in a style that's harder-hitting and more focused than some of Kelly's other work! The record's got an approach that's a bit pop, but plenty darn soulful too – a style that focuses the already-great Kelly approach to the keys, and brings it into territory explored by Ramsey Lewis and Ray Bryant – kicking up the rhythms with lots of playful touches, including extra guitar by Kenny Burrell and conga from Candido, and even an added steel band on one number! The record's got a few mellower ballads that recall the lyrical Kelly mode of the past – but most is upbeat and very grooving – with titles that include "South Seas", "Not A Tear", "It's All Right", "Kelly Roll", "Moving Up", and "Escapade". CD

A sweetly soulful set that proves that Wynton Kelly working for Verve was a heck of a great idea! There's a cohesion and direction to the session that's missing from some of Kelly's other work of the 60s – even though the format is mostly the same, with trio backing that includes Paul Chambers on bass and Jimmy Cobb on drums. The tunes skip along with a really great little groove – soulful and lyrical, but always concerned with the swing – hitting all the right notes without any hoke, and making us love Kelly more than we expected! Titles include "Swinging til The Girls Come Home", "My Ship", "Out Front", "Never", "Blues On Purpose", "If You Could See Me Now", and "Six Eight" – plus the great Latin-ized groover "Bobo", which features some nice work by an uncredited flute player! CD

Additional material and unreleased from one of the greatest 60s recordings from the Wynton Kelly Trio – thanks to some wonderful guest work from guitarist Wes Montgomery! Montgomery's working here in a gusty, rootsy style that recalls his best soul jazz sides from the earlier years – and which have a feel that's quite different than his later, more largely-arranged work for Verve. The Kelly Trio is in perfect form – with Wynton's heavy left hand leading the group on the piano, and superb rhythm backing from the team of Paul Chambers and Jimmy Cobb. This massive set marks the first official release of all these tracks that were recorded at the time, but not on the original Verve album Smokin At The Half Note – with work from Larry Ridley on bass on a number of tracks, and titles that include very long versions of "The Song Is You", "Star Eyes", "Four On Six", and "Cherokee" – plus takes on "Cariba", "Blues", "Laura", "Impressions", "Mi Cosa", "No Blues", and "All The Things You Are". CD

Midnite is right – as the session's a moody, mellow late nite one – just spare trio material by Wynton, played in a group that features Paul Chambers on bass and Philly Joe Jones on drums! The titles are all nice and long – and really let Kelly stretch out on the keys – working in a mode that's lyrical and soulful – on a set of titles that include include Babs Gonzales' "Weird Lullaby", plus "Skatin", "Temperance", "On Stage", and "Pot Luck". CD

One of Wynton Kelly's greatest albums, and an all-star hardbop session that includes Lee Morgan, Wayne Shorter, Paul Chambers, and Philly Joe Jones. With Philly Joe on drums, and Morgan and Shorter, the LP almost has the feel of a classic Art Blakey session for Blue Note, but Kelly's piano gives it a feel that's a bit warmer, and more relaxed. The tracks are nearly all long, with very open room for soloing, and nice catchy hooks by the various writers – who include Kelly, Morgan, and Shorter. Titles include "Wrinkles", "Mama G", "What Know", and "Sidney". CD

Pianist Wynton Kelly recorded for some of the key labels in jazz during his too-short life – a list that includes both Blue Note and Verve, as well as the smaller Vee Jay imprint – yet this session, which was his final, came out after his early passing on Chicago's Delmark label – at a time when it was crucial that Kelly's name was kept alive in the record racks. The group here takes the proceedings almost back to those excellent Kelly dates for Vee Jay at the start of the 60s – thanks to work from Paul Chambers on bass and Jimmy Cobb on drums – and the tunes have that easygoing, soulful vibe that Wynton did so well. Titles include "Castilian Waltz", "Say A Little Prayer For Me", "House Of Cards", "Yesterday", "Watch What Happens", and "When Love Slips Away". CD

Rock-solid work from Wynton Kelly – a standout trio side from the early 60s, and one of his few dates recorded for Vee Jay Records! Kelly seems to have a bit more kick here than in the 50s – and a bit more of a down to earth quality than on his later sides for Verve – really laying back on the keys of the piano, and getting some great help from a rhythm group that features Jimmy Cobbs on drums, and either Sam Jones or Paul Chambers on bass. The tunes are mostly familiar numbers, but they're offset by a few strong Kelly originals – including "Joe's Avenue" and "Sassy" – amidst other titles that include "Love I've Found You", "Autumn Leaves", "Gone With The Wind", and "Autumn Leaves". CD

A killer set of hardbop from the legendary Hank Mobley – recorded during the initial Mobley run at Blue Note, and a keen document of his amazing power on the tenor sax! The album's got a tightness that's almost impossible to believe – a summation of all the best bop trends of the 50s, rolled into a freewheeling and soulful expression, guided by Mobley's always-sharp ear for a groove. The group's great too – and Art Blakey is on drums, Wynton Kelly on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and a young young Freddie Hubbard plays trumpet. All tracks are nice and long, with a firey hardbop sound, deeply held in place by Mobley's soulful tone on the tenor! Titles include "My Groove Your Move", "Baptist Beat", and "The Breakdown". CD

One of the key classics from the hardbop years of Blue Note – the kind of album that really set the label apart from the rest at the time! Soul Station is a deceptively simple album that has tenor giant Hank Mobley playing standards and originals in a quartet with Wynton Kelly on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Art Blakey on drums– a spare and simple group, but one with a direct energy that's really amazing – in a way that makes for some of Mobley's best solos on record! The tracks here are all relatively basic in construction, but this territory allows all players to really relax and open up – especially Mobley, who really dominates the proceedings with some well-blown lines on tenor. Blakey's work is great too – nicely restrained, and the date marks one of his last sessions ever as a sideman. Titles include "Soul Station", "Split Feelin's", "Dig Dis", and "This I Dig Of You". CD

One of the key classics from the hardbop years of Blue Note – the kind of album that really set the label apart from the rest at the time! Soul Station is a deceptively simple album that has tenor giant Hank Mobley playing standards and originals in a quartet with Wynton Kelly on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Art Blakey on drums– a spare and simple group, but one with a direct energy that's really amazing – in a way that makes for some of Mobley's best solos on record! The tracks here are all relatively basic in construction, but this territory allows all players to really relax and open up – especially Mobley, who really dominates the proceedings with some well-blown lines on tenor. Blakey's work is great too – nicely restrained, and the date marks one of his last sessions ever as a sideman. Titles include "Soul Station", "Split Feelin's", "Dig Dis", and "This I Dig Of You". CD

With grooves this great, the house must have been full – and the album's a gem of an early live date by Wes Montgomery, recorded in Berkeley with a quartet that includes Johnny Griffin on tenor, Wynton Kelly on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Jimmy Cobb on drums! The tunes have a nicely cooking feel throughout – even when they're more gentle ones – and the record's a good reminder that outside of the studio, Wes could sometimes play with a bit more force on the strings – raspily hitting notes that explode off the guitar with tremendous precision and a good deal of feeling. Titles include the Montgomery originals "Full House", "SOS", and "Cariba", plus the tunes"Blue N Boogie" and "Come Rain Or Come Shine". This great set brings together a full batch of alternate takes from the sessions, some appearing here for the first time ever, some on vinyl-only releases – with different versions of "Blue N Boogie", "Cariba", "Come Rain Or Come Shine", "Born To Be Blue", "SOS", and a take on "Full House" with the original solo restored! CD

One of three incredible albums cut by trumpeter Dizzy Reece for Blue Note Records – all a bit unusual, in that Dizzy was a key part of the scene in London at the time, and not part of the regular New York group that were so important to the Blue Note roster at the end of the 50s! Yet despite that difference, Reece fits into the groove perfectly – with a bold sound on trumpet that's a nice change from the usual – set up in a classic hardbop lineup that includes Hank Mobley on tenor, Wynton Kelly on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Art Taylor on drums. Mobley's playing is fantastic – as on all of his Blue Notes – and his presence alone takes the set into another level. His solos on the harder tracks are all great, and played with a razor-sharp edge that opens up Reece a lot more than usual too – very different than some of his work recorded in the UK. Tracks include "The Rebound", "Groovesville", "The Rake", and "A Variation On Monk". Great stuff, and a true classic lost Blue Note! CD

A killer – and one of the greatest records ever cut on Bethlehem! Charlie Rouse and Paul Quinichette go head to head in a hard-blown session that's very different than most of the work on Bethlehem – grooving in a free-wheeling "chase" mode, as you might guess from the title – with lots of heavy tenor in the lead, cooking at a level that's more like a Prestige or Savoy session from the 50s! The group's as tight as can be – with some killer drum work from Ed Thigpen, and piano by either Wynton Kelly or Hank Jones. Titles include "The Chase Is On", "You're Cheating Yourself", "Knittin", "Tender Trap", and "When The Blues Come On". CD

A stellar early Johnny Griffin recording for Blue Note, and one that features the young tenor genius from Chicago working alongside the equally fantastic John Coltrane and Hank Mobley – plus some additional trumpet from Lee Morgan, and rock-solid rhythm from Wynton Kelly, Paul Chambers, and Art Blakey! As the "blowing session" title might imply, this set features long tracks that let the players get in plenty of soloing (and, we might add, in a very competitive way!) The record is similar to the Prestige sessions of the same vintage and style, but recorded with a little bit more of the care and rehearsal that Blue Note provided. Cuts include "Ball Bearing", "All The Things You Are", and "Smoke Stack. CD

One of the key classics from the hardbop years of Blue Note – the kind of album that really set the label apart from the rest at the time! Soul Station is a deceptively simple album that has tenor giant Hank Mobley playing standards and originals in a quartet with Wynton Kelly on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Art Blakey on drums– a spare and simple group, but one with a direct energy that's really amazing – in a way that makes for some of Mobley's best solos on record! The tracks here are all relatively basic in construction, but this territory allows all players to really relax and open up – especially Mobley, who really dominates the proceedings with some well-blown lines on tenor. Blakey's work is great too – nicely restrained, and the date marks one of his last sessions ever as a sideman. Titles include "Soul Station", "Split Feelin's", "Dig Dis", and "This I Dig Of You". CD

One of the greatest albums ever from Blue Note tenor giant Hank Mobley – a set that really explodes in all the new directions Hank was taking in the 60s! Mobley in the 50s was already the stuff of legend – a tremendous soloist on tenor, and every bit his own man – firmly focused forward with a voice that was already tremendous – but which was turned towards a lot of new ideas with records like this! Both Mobley's phrasing and rhythmic construction are different here than a few years before – still every bit as soulful as ever, but able to open up with richer imagination, especially on the strong original tunes on the set. The group's great – a quintet that offers up both guitar from Grant Green and piano from Wynton Kelly – and rhythm is by the mighty team of Paul Chambers on bass and Philly Joe Jones on drums. Tracks are longish, with plenty of room for solos – and titles include "Smokin", "Greasin Easy", "Workout", and "Uh Huh". CD features the bonus track "Three Coins In The Fountain". CD

One of the hardest to find of the early Lee Morgan albums on Blue Note – and a very lyrical batch of hardbop tracks, played with a slightly exotic flair! Morgan's group on the date features melodic modernists Benny Golson on tenor and Gigi Gryce on alto sax – both of whom push Morgan past his youthful bop approach into more sensitive areas – especially Golson, who wrote and arranged the tunes on the date with a sublime mix of hardbop and deeper musical ideals! Rhythm is from the trio of Wynton Kelly on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Charlie Persip on drums – and titles include a great reading of Golson's "I Remember Clifford", plus four other originals by Benny – "Hasaan's Dream", "Domingo", "Mesabi Chant", and "Tip Toeing". CD

Love is a many splendored thing – and so is the mighty piano work of Kunihiko Sugano – a great Japanese player from the 70s, but one who never got much exposure on our shores at the time! This live album really shows Sugano at his best – balancing a talent for flowing, lyrical moments with a tighter sense of a groove – laid down perfectly by a combo that features conga added to the usual lineup of bass and drums! Most tunes are nice and long, and begin with a solo statement by Kunihiko – then snap into a groove that really takes off nicely. Titles include the original "Blues For Wynton Kelly", a side-long reading of "Perdido", and versions of "Love Is A Many Splendored Thing" and "Autumn Leaves". CD

Both of the rare albums on the tiny Tuba label, cut by jazz vibist Johnny Lytle in the 60s! The Loop is one of the coolest, grooviest albums ever from jazz vibist Johnny Lytle – a set that really leans into the impact that he was having with the soul instrumental crowd, and which serves up tunes in these short, tight grooves that show why Johnny was the king of the stepping dancefloor in the 60s! The set's still done with producer Orrin Keepnews, who'd handled Lytle's earlier jazz sides – but the tunes are shorter, and have the grooves punched up nicely – with plenty of cool Hammond work from organist Milt Harris, and tight drums from Peppy Hinnant – augment6ed with work from Willie Rodriguez on congas, and guest piano from Wynton Kelly on a few cuts! The whole thing's sweet and groovy, and the set features Johnny Lytle originals "Big Bill", "The Shyster", "Possum Grease", "The Man", "The Loop", and "Hot Sauce" – plus a cool cover of "Cristo Redentor". New & Groovy is one of Johnny Lytle's great recordings for the Tuba label, and probably one of the albums that shows his funky jazz vibes style at its best! The whole thing is very nicely stripped down - and the focus of the album is on down-and-dirty groovers, perfect for the jazzy stepper set that still digs Lytle loads! Lots of short groovy ditties on here which match Lytle's vibes and Milt Harris' organ. The group also includes Wynton Kelly on piano, George Duvivier on bass, Jimmy Cobb on drums, and Montego Joe on conga and percussion. Tracks include "The Snapper", "Selim", "The Pulpit", and "Screamin' Loud", "Too Close For Comfort" and more. CD

A true giant step for John Coltrane – and one of the first albums to really showcase his talent as a writer – and his amazing ability for penning some of the most soulful, spiritual themes in jazz! Apart from the well-known title cut, the record's filled with other Coltrane classics – key early readings of "Naima", "Cousin Mary", "Mr PC", "Spiral", and "Syeeda's Song Flute" – all showing a new sense of timing, phrasing, and pacing in jazz – one that would go on to have a huge impact on players in the 70s generation! The group here is relatively straight – Tommy Flanagan or Wynton Kelly on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Art Taylor on drums – but the players have never sounded better, and really match Coltrane's sense of power and imagination on these legendary tracks! Great 2CD version – with a completely new mastering of the record, bonus notes, and a full set of unreleased outtakes and alternates – including "Naima (alt)", "Like Sonny (alt)", "Count Down (alt)", "Syeeda's Song Flute (alt)", "Giant Steps (incomplete alt take 1)", and two more takes of "Giant Steps". CD